# US 8,176,766 B1 · Liquid and solid trapping mouthpiece

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- Number: US 8,176,766 B1
- Document ID: US8176766B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 12/408,451
- Filed: 2009-03-20
- Granted: 2012-05-15
- Earliest claimed: 2008-03-27
- Assignees: Alcotek, Inc.
- Inventors: Hector Ruiz; Ildefonso Gonzalez; Keith Lueck
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8176766B1

## CPC

- G01N 1/2211: {with cyclones}
- G01N 33/497: of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A liquid and solid trap which induces cyclonic motion of a breath flow to separate solids and liquids from a breath sample prior to that sample being provided to a breath detector for determining composition of the vapor portion of said sample. The trap is generally used on delivery type testing devices used for measuring breath alcohol content.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A breath tester for trapping particles, the tester comprising:
a trap including:
an inverted generally conical frustum having a top and a bottom where the diameter of the top is greater than the diameter of the bottom and trapped particles are collected in the bottom;
an inlet port arranged toward said top of said frustum, for having a breath flow enter said frustum and form a cyclone therein; and
an exit port arranged at said top for exhausting breath flow from said conical frustum;
a series of baffles arranged at the top of the inverted conical frustum flush with the inlet for aiding in establishing the cyclone and the migration of particles to the bottom of the trap;
a sample inlet port for accepting a sample of an exhausted breath vapor from said exit port; and
a detector, which can determine the alcohol concentration of said sample.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The tester of claim 1 wherein said detector is a fuel cell.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The tester of claim 1 wherein said detector utilizes infrared absorption.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The tester of claim 1 wherein said tester is a delivery tester.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The tester of claim 1 wherein said breath flow is produced by a human being.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The tester of claim 1 wherein said breath flow is directly provided to said detector.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The tester of claim 1 wherein liquid suspended in said breath flow at least partially condenses from said breath flow on an inner surface of said frustum.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The tester of claim 1 wherein said trap is disposable after each use.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The tester of claim 1 wherein said trap is used for multiple uses.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The tester of claim 1 wherein said exit port is generally centered in said top.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The tester of claim 1 wherein said trap further comprises baffles inside said inverted conical frustum.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The tester of claim 11 wherein said baffles are generally circular.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The tester of claim 11 wherein said baffles are generally helical.

### Claim 14

A method of providing a breath stream for breath alcohol analysis, the method comprising:
having a user breathe a breath flow into an input tube;
inducing a cyclone on said breath flow within a trap by said breath flow coming into contact with a series of baffles flush with the inlet arranged at the top of the inverted conical frustum;
utilizing said cyclone to expel at least some solid particles and liquid droplets from said breath flow;
expelling said breath flow from said trap while capturing said particles and droplets in said trap; and
providing said expelled breath flow to a breath alcohol testing device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein said breath alcohol testing device is a delivery type of device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein said breath alcohol testing device utilizes infrared absorption on said expelled breath flow.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein said trap comprises an inverted conical frustum.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 wherein said trap further comprises baffles.